Combination cigarette holder, lighter, and smoke purifier, filter, and cooler



March 14, 1961 R. ELLIS 2,974,669

COMBINATION CIGARETTE HOLDER, LIGHTER, AND SMOKE PURIFIER, FILTER AND COOLER Filed Oct. 28. 1958 TI\ L 1 F M ,b/ fa H u 87 9 IFI 22 2 o .k/ a \\o u 8 4. 3 .7 m '1 l 5 m T 0 I I 6 7 3 1 6 a m 9 6 3 all i 4- INVENTOR.

United St t.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE HOLDER, LIGHTER, AND SMOKE PURIFIER, FILTER, AND COOLER Robert Ellis, New York, NY. (5085 Saratoga Ave., San- Diego 7, Calif.)

Filed Oct. 28-, 1958,.Ser. No. 770,163

8 Claims. (Cl. 131-472) This invention rel-ates to a combination cigarette holder, lighter and smoke purifier, filter and cooler and the principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which the tobacco smoke, previous to entering the mouth of a user from a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe, is first after burned'by passing it through an electric heater at incandescent temperature, after which the resultant improvedaromatic smoke is filtered to remove any fly-ash and then cooled again to normal temperature. a

It is well known that the visible part of tobacco smoke is composed of a great number of small particles of tar and ash suspended in an invisible gaseous mixture resulting from the incomplete combustion of the tobacco, these visible particles diifering greatly in relative size. By passing the tobacco smoke through the red hot interstices of an electricheater, the flavor and taste of said smoke is improved. The temperature of the electric heater is preferably greater than that of the burning tobacco.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for also initially lighting the cigarette.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a mouth-piece for this device which may be easily removed therefrom and used as a cigarette-holder.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which the now additionally A cigarette or cigar depicted by the dotted lines 13 is adapted to enter the forward tubular extension 14 of the device and to be held secure therein by the indent 15- of fiat spring 16 which is attached to the tubular member 14 by pins 17. A circular recess 18 at the inner end of the tubular member 14 is adapted to snugly receive the steatite ring 19 within which is securely mounted by outward pressure of its terminal wires against the sidewalls of the depression the electric heating element 20 the ends of which are secured by the screws 21 and 22, the later screw fitting into the brass switch block =23, see Fig. 5, which block is attached to the part 6 as illustrated. An oppositely disposed switch block 24 forms electrical contact with the block 23 through means of the brass contact button 26 attached to the inner end of the indulated plunger 27, the outer end of which protrudes through the wall 28 of housing 29 located directly beneath the tubularcigarette holding member 1 4 and integral therewith. A washer 30 is press-fitted to the plunger 27 as shown, the contact button 26 being normally held away and out of contact from the switch blocks 23 and 24 by the wire spring 31 pressing outwardly against washer 30, the other end of this spring Wire 31 heated tobacco smoke is cooled before passing into the mouth of the user.

Other and further objects will appear in the specifications and will be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the inventioniand in which;

Fig. 1 shows an interior view of one of the two equal and oppositely disposed halves of the resulting hollow device taken onthe line 11 of Fig. 3, the removable mouth-piece being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the device looking in the direction of arrow R, the mouth-piece being removed.

Fig. 3 is :a front view of the device looking in the direction of arrow P.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view (enlarged) of the electric heating element taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the electric heating element associated with its electric wiring diagram.

Referring to the drawings in which like characters and numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral '6 denotes one of the two equal and oppositely disposed hollow halves of a substantially rectangular smoke cooling element the hollow interior thereof having a partition 7 defining a circuitous passage 8, the travel of the purified smoke therein being indicated by the arrows 9. The two equal and oppositely disposed halves.6 of this cooling device are removably secured together by the screws 10 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, thus forming a confined passage for the smoke. One or more heat absorbing fins 11 are provided within this 'passage 8 as well as a plurality of outer fins 12 to more rapidly dissipate the heat,

being secured to the terminal screw 22 as illustrated in Fig. 5. A terminal screw 32 secures the wire 33 to terminal block 24 while the circuit wire 34 is attached to terminal screw 21, the numeral 35 indicating any desirable source of electrical energy. A conventional type of cigarette holder 36, shown in section in Fig. 'l, fits snugly over the tubular rear extension 37 of the device-when the two halves 6 are secured together by means of screws 10 and the heating element 19 is also removable by separating the two halves 6 as will be readily understood, the division line being indicated by the numeral 41. After the smoke has been after burned by passing through the interstices of the hot electric heating element 20, it passes into the passage 3 and through the filters 49 which are placed at any desirable location within this passage, these filters being composed of fine hair-like particles or its equivalent for trapping the fiy-ash produced when the smoke is after burned" by the electric heating element 20.

The operation of my combined device is now as follows; first the smoker inserts one end of the cigarette 13, in the direction of arrow 33, as far into the tubular extension 14 as possible, the end of the cigarette physically contacting the electrical heating element 20. The extending plunger 27 is then pushed inward completing the electrical circuit at blocks23 and24- through button 26 and quickly heating the electrical resistance element 20 to incandescence thereby igniting the tobacco at the end of cigarette 1-3. The cigarette is then whtidrawn from the extension 14 and the reverse end of the cigarette inserted into tubular member 14 to the approximate position illustrated in Fig. l, the detent 15 of spring 16 forcibly bearing against the outer side of the cigarette and holding it in set position. The smoker then inserts the mouthpiece of the cigarette holder 36 between his lips and again presses switch plunger 27 which again brings the heating element 2% to incandescence, thereupon creating suction with his checks in the customary manner to draw the cigarette smoke into his mouth. Before the cigarette smoke passes into his mouth however, it must pass between the closely spaced heated interstices of the electrical heating element 20, thereby causing the particles of tobacco smoke to be after-burned or altered thereby producing a smoke of beter taste than the original smoke. From this point the after-burned smoke passes into passage 8 where the fly-ash produced by the afterburning of the electrical heating element 20 is filtered out by the filter elements 44). The purifying action above referred to also heats the now purified smoke but which is thereupon cooled by passing it through the entire circuituous passage 8 before it enters the mouth of the user. As soon as the sucking in of the smoke has been completed, the smoker releases the pressure of his finger on plunger 27 thus disconnecting the electrical circuit to element 20, this procedure being important if dry cells are used for current so as not to consume electricity during the intervals of inhaling. At each successive inhalation, the operator presses the plunger 27 approximately one seconds time previously thereto to enable the heating element 20 to arrive to incandcscence before the smoke passes therethrough. The numeral 39 indicates a convenient attachment plug for connecting to the conventional house current but the element 20 may also be sufiicientlyheated with dry cells carried in the pocket of the user.

The cigarette holder 36 has the same size end as the conventional cigarette to that it may be removed from the body 6 at extension 37 and used as a cigarette holder.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have evolved a combined cigarette holder, lighter and smoke purifier, filter and cooler which is small, compact, light in Weight and conveniently carried in the pocket of the user; which is ready for immediate use and which will alford the smoker a smoke having an improved taste,

' the smoking device being also sufiiciently light in weight and convenient to be continuously held between the lips of the smoker without other support.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims, such as by supporting this device from a table or floor, etc. The smoking device may also be made of various materials such as plastic, steatite, sheet metal, etc.

I claim:

l. A tobacco smoking device comprising a mouth-piece on one end thereof, means for holding burning tobacco on the other end thereof, means defining a confined smoke passage leading from said burning tobacco to said mouth-piece, an electric heating element located within said confined smoke passage, a source of electrical energy connected to said electric heating element, and means adapted to conduct the tobacco smoke emanating from said burning tobacco to be drawn through said passage contiguous to said electric heating element to after burn the said tobacco smoke before said smoke enters the said mouth-piece.

2. A tobacco smoking device as in claim 1, and a smoke filter located in said smoke passage directly behind the said electric heater.

3. A tobacco smoking device as in claim 1, the said confined smoke passage being circuitous in that part thereof between said electric heating element and said mouth-piece.

4. A tobacco smoking device comprising a mouth-piece on one end thereof, means for holding burning tobacco on the other end thereof, a confined smoke passage leading from said burning tobacco to said mouth-piece, an electric heating element located within said confined smoke passage, a source of electrical energy connected to said electrical heating element and capable of bringing same to the point of incandescence, and means for causing the smoke from said burning tobacco to be drawn through said passageway contiguous to said electric heating element to after burn the said tobacco smoke before said smoke enters the said mouth-piece, the aforesaid source of electric energy being separate from said smoking device but adapted to be connected in electrical circuit with said electric heating element by means of a flexible electric cable.

5. A smoking device as in claim 4, and a normally off switch interposed in said electric circuit, the said switch being located on said smoking device.

6. A smoking device as in claim 4, the said electric heating element consisting of closely spaced wires capable of forming particles of said tobacco smoke to contact said incandescent wires while said smoke passes therethrough to more completely burn said smoke particles.

7. The process of treating tobacco smoke which consists of the following steps:

first, lighting the tobacco;

second, passing the resultant tobacco smoke through an incandescent electric heater element to after burn the smoke particles;

third, filtering the resulting treated smoke from fly-ash by passing it through a filter; and

fourth, cooling the additionally heated treated smoke by passing it through a circuitous confined passage whose walls are at atmospheric temperature before said smoke enters the mouth.

8. The process of treating tobacco smoke which consists of the following steps:

first, lighting the tobacco and passing the resultant tobacco smoke through an incandescent electric heating element whose temperature is greater than that of burning tobacco;

second, filtering the resultant comminuted smoke particles of fiy-ash by passing it through a filter; and

third, cooling the heated, treated and filtered smoke on its passage to the mouth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,051,030 Dalinda Aug. 18, 1936 

